Mother’s #49 Possibly 2002 - 2014

Ishiuchi Miyako created "Mother's #49" using photography to capture a sheer, lacy garment hanging suspended in space. The stark monochromatic palette casts a delicate balance of light and shadow. This evokes a sense of intimacy and vulnerability. The composition centers on the garment's texture and form. Note how the lace trim offers a complex interplay of pattern against the smooth, almost translucent fabric. This contrast invites a semiotic reading: the lace, traditionally associated with adornment and femininity, is juxtaposed with the garment's simple shape, hinting at the complex roles and expectations placed upon women. The hanging garment, devoid of a body, further destabilizes fixed meanings. It suggests absence and memory. Ishiuchi encourages us to contemplate the garment as a signifier of identity, loss, and the passage of time. This challenges us to find meaning not in what is present, but in what has been left behind.